His Repudiated Luna

Valerie's POV

I once read somewhere that it took a special kind of bravery to stay sober in a room full of drunk people.

I was sitting before the makeshift bar in Adam's party, watching my friends take shot after shots of burning liquid from nameless bottles.

I stared at their swaying, bleary-eyed form, wondering why anyone would want to subject themselves to that for an entire night and end up wasted in some random place, and wake up with severe hangovers. Stupid nineteen-year olds. I stared at the golden-colored liquid in my own glass. Apple juice was all the refreshment I needed.

Maybe it wasn't bravery though. Maybe I was just being plain stupid and I should have enjoyed the night with my friends. Alcohol would have definitely helped me to survive the events of that night.

"Bar!" Rendall, the one who was closest to me yelled and slammed an empty glass on the table, his eyes unfocused.

"I mean...drink..."

"Don't get too drunk, Rendall. You're the one driving us home." Cheryl slurred and poured another drink down her throat, then giggled almost maniacally.

Analisse, my other best friend, was the only other sober person among us. She was sitting on the other end of Rendall and Cheryl, the bluish light of her phone illuminating her face as she stared into it.

Besides Adam, Analisse was the only other person I trusted with my life. Probably the only person whom I could talk to about what had been bothering me for years now.

"Don't fall off the bar stools," I muttered to Rendall and Cheryl, then stood from my own stool and walked towards Analisse.

"Hey," I said. "We need to talk."

"What—" she started, but I had grabbed her hand and was dragging her through the dimly lit party floor full of swaying people.

Analisse followed me in silence until we reached the foot of the staircase. Once there, she folded her arms and glared at me.

"Rude, much?" She said with a hint of sarcasm.

"What did you want to talk about?"

I closed my eyes and tried to figure out my words and she shook my shoulder worriedly.

"Val, are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am. The whole party is just getting to me." I muttered, then opened my eyes.

"There's this thing I've been carrying around for a long while now."

"What's that?" She prompted.

"I like Adam. Heck, I think I love him. I've loved him since we were thirteen and I still do. I want to tell him tonight, but I don't know how to. Can you help me?" I blurted out in one long breath.

A shadow passed across Analisse's face, or perhaps it was the dim party lights around us. "You love him?"

"Yes, Ana." I nodded.

"What should I do?"

She thought for a moment, then said.

"Val, this is his coronation party. He just got crowned as the alpha. I think this would be the wrong time